Improvement in decoy-birds for sportsmen



H. STRATER, 1 & w. semen. Decoy-Birds for Sportsmen.

5 9 I Patented Oct. 27,1874.

m5 s'ru'rgilpco. PHOTO-LITHASI-H rum PLACEJLY,

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

HERMAN STRATER, J It, ANDWILLIAM SOHIER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN DECOY-BIRDS FOR SPORTSMEN.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 156,239, dated October 27,1874; application filed August 10, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, HERMAN STRATER, Jr., and WILLIAM SoHIER, of Boston, State of Massachusetts, have invented Improved Decoys, of which the following is a specificanested, for easy transportation; secondly, a'

device for readily setting up decoys on land thirdly, to construct decoys for water-fowl that will float naturally.

Figure 1 shows a decoy to be used on land. It is made in two parts, A B, of sheet metal or other suitable thin material, the parts or halves coming together in the plane of a central vertical longitudinal section, and hinged at a a, as shown. These two parts are formed at b b into two semicylindrical portions, which make a tube when shut together. This tube has stretched around it a band, C, by which the parts of the decoy are held together, and by which, also, a supporting-stake, k, thrust into the tube and driven into the ground, is grasped.

Fig. 3 shows this form of decoy opened, and it is "readily seen that in this condition several of them may be set one into another or nested.

Fig. 2 exhibits a form for the water-fowl. This is also made in the shell form, but of two parts,'the one composed of the body D, the other of the head and neck 0, to be separated entirely at the base of the neck. Eyelets E E are let into the sides of the neck and body,

through which a string or wire is passed to fasten the parts together. To keep this decoy afloat a piece, f, of light material, as

wood, is cut in a suitable shape, fitted into the bottom, and held by suitable fastenings,

as t '13 t. A weight, g, having the stem h screwed or otherwise fastened into the piece f, keeps the decoy upright and properly balanced. A section, taken on the line 1 l of Fig. 2, of the float f and ballast g is shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 4: shows a section of the body D, taken on the line 1 l of Fig. 2, and also shows other similar parts, 01 d, illustrating how the parts may be nested as stated.

The head and neck, of the form of Fig.2, may be made to open, but being so small it is perhaps not necessary.

The decoys now in com mon use are madewhole, and mostly of wood, and heavy. To carry any number of these is a sorry task for the sportsman. Moreover, it has been, found difficult to make those for waterfowl ride the water naturally.

It is readily seen that our invention overcomes all these objections; that the decoys made as described, being very light and capable of being closely packed, many may be carried with the greatest ease; and that the parts are so joined they may be set up with the greatest facility.

We claim as our invention 1. Decoys constructed of sheet metal or other suitable thin material, in parts to be HERMAN STRATER, JR. WM.-SOHIER.

Witnesses EDw. DUMMER, HORACE DODI). 

